The Influence of the Type and Condition of Road Surfaces on the Exhaust Emissions and Fuel Consumption in the Transport of Timber

Abstract

Owing to society’s growing ecological awareness, researchers and car manufacturers have increasingly been focusing on the adverse impact of transport on the environment. Many scientific publications have been published addressing the influence of a variety of factors on the exhaust emissions generated by vehicles and machinery. In this paper, the authors present an analysis of the exhaust emissions of components such as CO, THC, and NOx in relation to the type and condition of the road surface. The analysis was performed on a heavy-duty truck designed for carriage of timber. The investigations were carried out with the use of the PEMS equipment (portable emission measurement system) on bitumen-paved roads and unpaved forest access roads. The portable measurement system allowed for an accurate determination of the influence of the road conditions on the operating parameters of the vehicle powertrain and its exhaust emissions. Additionally, the authors present the influence of the type of road surface on the vehicle fuel consumption calculated based on the carbon balance method.